TAVISTOCK is preparing to celebrate the 200-year history of one of its greatest assets throughout August ? the Tavistock Canal.
The bi-centenary celebrations will involve music and art with the highlight being a month-long exhibition in the Guides? Hall.
And to get everyone in the swing, a big canal clean up takes place this weekend to which volunteers are welcome to join in.
The comprehensive exhibition will cover how the canal was constructed, the people who initiated and built it, engineering triumphs and challenges, ecological influences and what the future holds for the canal in terms of recreation and conservation.
Members of Tavistock Forward have been preparing for the events since May last year and were helped along the way with a £5,000 lottery grant from the Awards for All scheme.
From August 15 to August 30, musical events will be held in Tavistock and Morwellham Quay including jazz, medieval dance and entertainment, a rock music workshop and an acoustic cafe.
Clients of Mencap?s Molly Owen Centre have been busy designing and producing banners to be displayed in the town and part of the project will be a schools pack themed on the canal, for use during the Autumn term.
This is believed to be the largest-ever celebration of the Tavistock Canal, which is now valued for its beauty and environmental qualities.
In the first half of the 19th Century, it was used extensively for shipping ore and coal up and down its waters, when a huge amount of mining went on in the region.
On the actual day of the anniversary ? August 29 ? a commemorative stone will be unveiled by the mayor of Tavistock, Cllr Norma Woodcock.
One of the aims of Tavistock Forward is to restore the three-mile long canal path, so it can be enjoyed by all sectors of the community including wheelchair users and parents with pushchairs.
Simon O? Connor-Thompson, who is chairing the group behind the project, said volunteers would be welcome on Sunday to take park in the clean up between the Wharf and Plymouth Road, starting at 10am.
In charge on Sunday will be the Tavistock and District Conservation Group.
?We are also appealing for stewards for the exhibition,? said Mr O?Connor-Thompson.
?We need people to do three hour stints and anyone interested should call Graham Kirkpatrick on 01822 614525.
?With the hall adjoining the town?s main car park we hope lots of people will come and see the exhibition and realise how important it is to the history of Tavistock and what a great asset it is now,? added Mr O? Connor-Thompson.